I Inherited A Country Manor And $900,000 Of Debt | Country House Rescue | Abode

there's a way to make an entrance my destiny it was now a conspiracy of witches download today [Music] Bantry house in County Cork is one of the most important country houses in anglo-irish history [Music] Josh have had to sacrifice their life in Australia to take over the running of her family hope from her parents Edgerton and Regita mom and dad are very proud of what they've achieved but no I don't want to be in the same situation 30 years from now debts of nearly 800 000 pounds and falling visitor numbers the future of Bantry house and its remarkable collection of precious artifacts is in Jeopardy it's endless every day something new Springs up even with your best laid plans yeah you know something comes up that you're not prepared for can entrepreneur Simon Davis convince Duty bound daughter Sophie to embrace new business ideas and how much are you charging them I'm not charging them right before Bantry house and its important history are lost forever it's literally falling apart at the seams you could easily put a pop-up restaurant in here but there's a lot of work to do my vision of it is that someone had come in and pop it up for us [Music] entry house in County Cork Southwest island has been in the show's worldwide family for over 300 years the current residence Edgerton and Brigitte have worked for the last 30 years to keep the house standing and have built up the business with house and garden tours a tea room and bed and breakfast previous generations have struggled with it and it's a challenge we felt that it was a challenge worth rising to when I got married it never occurred to me that it should be sold so once you get into that mindset somehow that it has to be it has to be preserved whatever but in his late 70s and unwell Edgerton felt that he and Brigitte could no longer carry on being the sole caretakers so three years ago at a family Summit it was decided that it was time the next Generation took over and it was Sophie the eldest of their four children who stepped forward to take the reins It Was Always Somewhere in my mind that I would come home yeah dad becoming it it came home to me more that I needed to be here because she's lovely and she's gentle but there's still there's a strengths there which um which is is is good because she'll need that while her parents still live in part of the house Sophie and her partner Josh have moved back from Australia to live nearby with their young son and to take over the running of Bantry but the faltering tourist economy has meant that visitor numbers have dropped from sixty thousand to just 28 000 a year over the last decade while increasing maintenance bills have led them further and further into debt brickwork all around the house occasionally you would have little bits that come off it would be a huge job there I think by The Lodges and on either side of the parts of the of the building are in various states of decay you could just go on and on but with strong emotions tied up in this historic building Sophie is determined not to fail it's been 300 years in our family I don't think I could be the the generation to give it up if they can't turn their struggling fortunes around they will be forced to sell so entrepreneur Simon Davis must show them how to revitalize the business and save an important piece of anglo-irish History the west of Ireland is majestic but it's also incredibly remote and that makes running a business very tricky there are loads of country houses in Ireland and to make yours make money you've really got to make it stand out from the crowd foreign house and its namesake Town sit on the edge of the famous Bantry Bay which is renowned for its mussels and other Seafood while there was once a vast estate of 80 000 Acres almost all of the land has been sold over the years to pay off some of their debts leaving the house with barely a hundred acres the banks unwilling to lend them any more money they are desperate for Simon's expertise and how do you do Simon Davis hello I'm Josh hi good to meet you good to see you hi good phenomenal view it's lovely isn't it you must never Tire of it no we don't even on a day like today it's beautiful [Music] very impressive and Grand and imposing away from the major tourist routes the family choose to open the house to the public for only seven months of the year so we're being stared at quite a lot yeah I feel like that every day it's all your ancestors right they are and how many generations have you been um ten Generations I'm the 10th Generation and my son would be the 11th now amongst eleven Generations there must have been some pretty serious characters who are the ones who are the really stand out it's the big family figures well the second Earl of Bantry Richard white is the bust over there he traveled a lot during the early 1800s during the Grand tourer and he would have collected nearly all the content that's in the house now but the titles in the family have now gone haven't they is that correct yeah so you're no longer so the Titans have gone the money has largely gone oh yeah but the house and its beautiful contents and your passion remains absolutely [Music] does the rose drawing a large collection of treasures including 15th century Russian icons fine carpets and rare porcelain were collected by the second Earl during his travels in the 19th century and what happens through here this is the gobbler drawing room sadly despite their pride in this important collection mounting debts and overheads have forced the family to take drastic steps we have had to sell Furniture in the past to to keep the maintenance going what has been sold I sort of break my parents heart to me so you know um dining room table had to go mirrors there are hooks on the wall with nothing on them I mean it's quite quite clear what's happened yes I suppose there is that irony that if you sell things there's less of a reason for people to come visit yeah and and the Big Ticket things are the things that would get the most money but then what are people going to look at when they come in the door you know so yeah I mean this tapestry here is phenomenal I mean that must be worth 30 40 000 well exactly yeah what would you say to those people who said well stop whinging about not having any money sell the tapestry I maybe I'm too emotional about it yeah who knows money is particularly tight at Bantry any profit goes towards ongoing maintenance and servicing the 800 000 pound debt Josh an accountant has taken over the financial running of the house and over the last two years the couple have concentrated on cost cutting they have also chosen to continue the businesses set up by Sophie's parents rather than risk starting new Enterprises that might bring in more visitors and more money they started all of it many years ago you know so as yet we haven't really um changed hack from that and I don't know if we will massively either because it's it could be a product that works really well it's more fine-tuning I think that we've been able to do to the to the business so far the BNB accommodation housed in the East wing of the house is well organized and profitable Simon will be staying in one of the rooms to provide inspiration for his business plan it's your occupancy at the moment about 60 60 and you're pleased with that I'm pleased but it could be better but you're open all year round for the rooms no we don't we close those in the winter as well so for five months you can't stay here so you can't yeah so this is my room this is it well it's very nicely done up thank you a good size and how much would this room cost 90 per person and why the per person and not the per rum that's very unusual it's something we inherited it's something it's just always been progressing Yeah by sticking with the past and limiting the number of months that they are open Sophie and Josh are dramatically reducing their opportunities to generate the significant sums of money that will help Bantry house get out of debt this really is a beautiful place and part of me can see why Sophie and Josh gave up everything to move back here and run it but it's a vast house and there's no money in the coffers it's a massive undertaking for a young family while Simon is impressed with his room a look around finds the communal areas in a less pristine state billion room here is very elegant the problem is as a guest is paying upwards of 100 pounds a night to stay here you don't expect to see paint peeling off the walls and plaster falling about the place [Music] to find out more about the family and their financial situation Simon is having dinner in Edgerton and brigitte's apartment in the main house where Sophie and her siblings grew up hello hello hello hello I almost got lost I followed my nose how do you do Simon Davis [Music] you've just taken on an enormous project here albeit with the support of your parents what ideas would you like to implement here to begin with and just sort out this debt that's hanging over us right which is nearly a million million euros close to they're about running up that way and Sophie must rise to this challenge if she's to avoid the same heartbreaking circumstances that faced her parents you don't know how absolutely desperate our situation was two or three years ago and tell me I'll just hopefully we didn't know how to pay anything we were certainly open to offers from developers from hoteliers and things either for an outright sale or to go into partnership with them we just thought well if none of the children want it it gets sold and even if the market is bad it will still be sold it will be very in a in a very very difficult situation you do have a beautiful house here with some really despite the fact that you sadly had to sell off some of them there are still some beautiful things in this house and you do have a wonderful garden and a phenomenal view but I think the the Frank reality is there are quite a number of beautiful houses with lovely Gardens and wonderful views that are more accessible if it actually despite all your efforts would you eventually if it just got too much sell I don't know I don't know [Music] important decisions here made with the heart now three years ago this house came that close to being sold my biggest worry now is that for the younger generation unless they start making some significant new decisions then that threat may be posed again [Music] but can Sophie put her emotions to one side and face up to the reality of what it will take to save Bantry house I do believe closing for five months is foolish there's always that sense of Gigi that everyone talks about but also a challenge do you ever think what the hell have I got myself into I I could be on a beach in Tasmania you have days [Music] Bantry house in a remote corner of Southwest island has been home to the Shell's world whites since 1765. the family were granted in Oldham and thousands of acres of land after their part in seeing off a French Armada in 1796 when Ireland was under British rule during the 19th century the second Earl added the library and the wings to the house as well as laying out the gardens which included the 100 steps and the two stable yards he filled the house with beautiful artworks and Furniture collected on his grand tour of Europe but those Glory days are long gone and nearly all of the lands and some of the most precious artifacts that had to be sold off for the last 34 years the house has been lived in by Brigitte and Edgerton but three years ago their eldest daughter Sophie agreed to move back from Australia with her partner Josh and young son Jacob to take over the running of the house I want to make this a sustainable business that we can be proud of and Mom and Dad were very are very proud of what they've achieved in 30 years and I want to carry that forward but even more battling falling visitor numbers urgently needed Renovations and mounting debts the couple have asked businessman Simon Davis to find a solution to their problems he spent the night in the bed and breakfast accommodation that is usually only available during the summer months well they've done a really impressive job on the BNB actually the thing that still mystifies me though is you know yes we're in the off season here but I'm sure there are people who would still want to come here and yet I'm the only person here which is slightly ludicrous if slightly spoiling [Music] Simon's exploration of the formal rooms reveals a more worrying concern for me this room so encapsulates the sad reality for houses such as these it looks so wonderful and opulent all these great paintings and artworks and porcing that were purchased by the second Earl on his Grand Tour I'm afraid if you look a little bit closer a lot of this architrave and cornice work is all falling away if you look here this wallpapers I mean it's literally is that not just the wallpaper the whole this whole wall is look at that too much but I mean it just goes to show that you know a perilous state that this this house is in [Music] having spent over 30 years of his life working to save the house Simon wants to hear how Edgerton feels about Sophie and Josh taking over the management of Bantry I got a real sense last night when we were having supper a real sense of the commitment that you and your wife have put into the house do you feel that Sophie and Josh they've got that real passion and commitment oh I think they do but um I think neither She nor Josh probably realized how much sort of daily nitty-gritty there was to do you know it's very difficult to know when you're interfering with them or when you're helping them you want to be in the background um helping but on the other hand you feel if you say too much or implying at least criticism of some kind [Music] it's becoming clear how delicate the Handover of responsibility has been for the family how much they have each had to sacrifice to keep this historic property standing you know we're walking up these magnificent hundred steps and it's absolutely torrential rain in Wonderful West Irish fashion do you ever think what the hell have I got myself into I I could be on a beach in Tasmania with my little boy and with Josh you have days yeah um this funny enough isn't one of them um but no I mean you make a commitment and I've weighed up that before I I came home yeah you know so this is the West stable that's right yeah we're stable no roof no roof as part of the tour of the estate Sophie leads Simon to the near derelict West stable block which has been given a small Heritage Council Grant to prevent it decaying further so what do you see for the West Stables um it could be a great space for some kind of farmers market there's heaps of local produce but as there's currently no money to fund such an ambitious project Simon is becoming concerned what drove Sophie to commit her future to Bantry was a sense of Duty to her parents and that she must now step out of their Shadow and introduce new ideas if the house is to be saved do you sometimes wish that someone else had put their hand up no no you can't expect everyone to drop everything and you have I did yeah but I myself I expected of myself um but the others are finding their feet and they're helping how they can and you're confident you weren't just just um led by your heart essentially probably a bit yeah probably there's there's always that sense of GG that everyone talks about but also a challenge my parents needed the help and I wanted to do certain the business needs to find a new direction that will attract more visitors year round Simon heads to the fully restored East Stables that have so far been left off his tour it was pretty pretty impressive to be honest with you but I'm slightly confused because Sophie showed me the West Stables which looked like a bomb had hit it and there was no roof or walls and she was full of enthusiasm for doing farmers markets and all sorts of activity there and yet she's got e-stables which are in what appears to be quite good Nick I'm not entirely entirely sure what's going on [Music] several years ago an outside body restored the East stables for use as a museum commemorating the attempted invasion of Bantry Bay by the French Armada but the museum didn't get enough visitors and had to close although many of the displays remain it is the infrastructure that makes Simon feel that this building represents a huge opportunity it's often the case that the obvious answers are right under your nose but this is stable space here seems fantastically useful to me it's got a roof it's relatively dry it's got electricity I really think this has amazing potential to be a great indoor event space guess you've got to clean it out a bit but it's more graft than cash I don't really think this could be Brewing with his research complete Simon has asked the family to gather in the dining room so that he can lay out his business plan for their financial future [Music] one of the things I've really discovered from being here is that you are so led by your heart particularly you three but hearts are very good at making pragmatic big decisions totally agree with you yeah absolutely Simon wants to start by concentrating on an area of the existing business that the family do well but that he believes should be generating even more Revenue the BNB is is great and it works one thing that I do think is imperative is to increase the number of nights that people can stay and make it year round now it might not be 365 days a year but I do believe closing for five months is foolish and I also think you've got to stop charging per person and charge per room to come into line with everyone else achieving just 25 occupancy of the BNB during the winter would bring in an extra 25 000 pounds of Revenue however with 800 000 pounds of debt hanging over the property it's clear that there is currently little money to spare for the huge number of structural and cosmetic Renovations needed but Simon is concerned that Sophie and Josh's attempts to balance the books may go too far and actually harm the business I don't think there can be any more cost cut but it started to seem to me that you were cost cutting in areas where perhaps you should be spending take the billiard room for example now that is a place where people are going who are spending quite a significant sum to come and stay and there's paint pinning from the walls yeah and there's plaster coming off now those things that is where you should be investing the money because you only need to see just the smallest bit of paint peeling and you start to think as a guest well hold on a minute you know they're letting the end go here although Brigitte and Edgerton have done an impressive job of keeping the house open to the public the falling visitor numbers mean that Simon wants Sophie and Josh to concentrate on new areas of business he wants them to run specific events during the off season that make use of somewhere with clear money making potential the West Stables which we went to earlier I think it's a pipe dream really the West Stables but the East State was as far as I can see is a wasted area I had a snoop around there earlier on today and with a a lot of graft and not too much money you adapt to become a very good indoor event space you know it's got a roof on it it's got electricity you've got that wonderful Central area for potential Farmers Market we all know that this part of Ireland is really gone quite a good reputation now for food and it could be a small little Film Festival some more music some theater create a space that's open all year round so that the locals and people from further field can come there and it's not in the house so you can still if you don't want to open the house to the public all year have a place that people can still come with his experience as a restaurant consultant and the surrounding areas strong reputation for fish and other foodstuffs Simon believes that the cleared out east Stables would be the perfect setting for a temporary restaurant which would help Market Bantry house to a wider audience let's say you did a pop-up restaurant with a with a decent name chef uh that garnered quite a lot of marketing and PR and maybe it ran for two or three nights no 80 covers a night people would come enjoy this chef and its local produce stay in the house you'd bring new people to the house who would potentially repeat customers it doesn't necessarily have to be a massive expense and it doesn't mean that when you open it's an all singing or dancing super duper world's greatest restaurant and I'm not suggesting that pop-up restaurants are a recent Trend that have garnered lots of press attention while Simon will help provide a big name Chef he wants Sophie and Josh to run the restaurant so they will have to clear out the stables and arrange the catering equipment and ingredients first event will be for one night only but extended to four sittings every month it could turn over two hundred thousand pounds a year I really want to help you prove that it can be successful because I firmly believe that it can be and if we get a good example of one working then hopefully it will set you on the road to doing it in the years to come [Music] we've had so many comments in our 30 years here in so many criticisms at least those were constructive we particularly like the idea of doing small things such as the billiard room which would show that we were at least making a start on all the Myriad things that had to be done obviously the e-stables in we know full well that there's a huge potential there and and we think of many different ideas in there and we'd love something to be up there for sure I love the idea of that pop-up restaurant but implementing it is always where we implementing and and knowing someone who knows somebody who can help us yeah the link uh do that would be really beneficial yeah Simon will return in three months time when he's hoping to see progress with his business plan but will the scale of the task prove too much for Sophie I've never done anything like this before oh they're alive I'm overwhelmed by what we're all being asked to do when everyone knows what kind of a situation we're in [Music] it's February the pantry house in Southwest Island is closed for the winter in the house Sophie shellswell white has asked some Builders to assess the damage to the walls in the billiard room as Simon Davis suggested we've had this problem for years over and over again and we would patch it paint over it again and then it comes back the next year but convinced that an all year round event space in the East Stables will be the key to Reviving their fortunes Simon has arranged a research trip for Sophie and her mother brigitta to Bali Malu a world-renowned cookery School restaurant and BNB located in a country house a half hours drive outside cork it's open all year hosting around 10 different events a month oh hello hi hello I'm really welcome well thanks for coming down great thanks great to see you great to see you Sophie and brigitta have come to see their latest Venture a flexible event space which is the brainchild of Rory Allen this is the great Store look at it after an initial investment of 1.2 million pounds the grain store now accounts for 50 of ballymalu's business you must think of the bull opportunity that you can let it fast and wonderful the thing about the room is what this building has done it is is bought presence to us in the off season yeah which is absolutely wonderful they said people get married all year round but the corporate things happen all year round there's no seasonality in those you'll have a concert here or you have a corporate event here you sell your bedrooms up there and it keeps the place alive it is very important to try and get 12 months or at least 11 months out of the year he just really thought of everything it's the fact that we're so seasonal that he manages to bring people here throughout the whole year that can then help the house fill their rooms you know it's absolutely spot on yeah it's wonderful it's an inspiration Fired Up by her trip to ballymalu Sophie focuses her attention on the East Stables Simon has asked her to organize a trial event to show the building's potential without spending very much money so with her partner Josh working in Australia Sophie has arranged a craft fair for local Artisans to coincide with Simon's next visit but rather than clear out the space the Stalls are having to set up around the existing Museum displays three months since his last visit Simon has returned to check on progress it's great that you're looking to utilize the station which is fantastic and how's it work financially um they pay me press tall usually how much are you charging them I'm not charging them very much for this one particularly um I'm actually charging them Sophie this one yeah I'm not charging them right so you're not gonna make any money no Simon hopes that his own plans for the East Stables will be useful for marketing and as a revenue earner and when I would say last time I spoke about the possibility of doing a pop-up restaurant restaurant I've managed to to get Richard Corrigan oh awesome who is someone I hugely admire as a chef and he's obviously Irish Ireland's greatest Chef anyway he's agreed to to get involved and be the chef really there's code tomorrow for a recce so we can work out how we're going to make it happen and then when we do the the actual restaurant in the spring yeah he's going to come down and cook how much fun I can't wait what have we gonna give him for lunch [Laughter] as Sophie is starting to develop new business ideas at Bantry Simon wants to find out how supportive Brigitte is hypergeita hard at work yes hello it's a mammoth task isn't it you've obviously been fundamental in running the house and looking after the house and the garden yeah how do you feel about Sophie taking over some of those responsibilities because obviously it's very something that's very dear to you endlessly grateful quite frankly because it became very very difficult for us and do you think of the idea she's been having brilliant whatever you know it's wonderful is it going to be a triumphant craft fair well Dad I don't know but I'm sure it's going to be triumphant as the next day Dawns Simon wants to prove to Sophie that despite the rain the East Stables is a practical event space that can be used all year round although she will make no money from today the craft fair will show that Bantry house is open to new business hello hello I hope you enjoy it thank you spend lots of money and Simon also wants the stall holders to help him use today's event to show off the estate's best feature hi there so to interrupt we need to get rid of these bins and if we've got a captive audience here we need to let them see the house he's determined to build momentum to the pop-up restaurant that he wants Sophie to organize for his final visit [Music] see great much better and I know I know it's raining today but I want people to come through here in the midst of a busy craft fair award-winning Chef Richard Corrigan arrives to discuss plans for the East stables next event a big supporter of local produce he has agreed to front the first Bantry pop-up restaurant for free but is visiting today to make sure that Sophie who will have to provide the equipment and Source the ingredients is capable of organizing it to a high standard so I was thinking drinks in the library bring everyone through the garden up the steps and into the Stables on the left what a fantastic Journey yeah and a great view to look at on the way through what a fantastic house a pop-up restaurant requires considerable organization and becomes economically viable by being open for a number of days although this trial will be for one night only Simon is determined that it won't lose money and will pay dividends by putting Bantry on the map outside its usual summer season so what do you think of the space potentially it's a bit raw at the moment but it is a feeling I like the flags on Floors you know what I mean what sort of numbers do you reckon we could put in here I reckon 60 60 70 people I was thinking 60 easier but you could do 60 something I mean you aren't going to try to run it as a revenue generating exercise yeah look at that her eyes popped out of her head there that day that's the first time I've seen you motivated yeah I've been trying to impressive obviously they need to actually make some money yeah no this night the night we do the pop-up with you it's paying customers absolutely no it's money making Enterprise I feel very motivated when you come and see a beautiful house I mean a beautiful venue for a pop-up restaurant but there's a lot to be done Sophie although the craft fair has shown that the space can be used successfully Simon wants to make sure that Sophie is fully on board for the pop-up restaurant which is due to happen in eight weeks time the important thing to remember is that the craft fair they made their money from that because you've made the decision to not charge them make no mistake the pop-up restaurant is for paying customers yeah great I'd love to know how we're going to finance all of it there's going to be a modest cost for bringing in some stoves but you always have to invest a little bit Yeah but think about the other elements the location we've got the chairs and the tables we've got what you need to do is clear that space out start thinking about how you're going to Market this fantastic event here so even when you're selling some of the tickets for this event offer a room for the night as well yeah package it all up together so there's a lot of work to do but I really I really feel confident that it can be a really fantastic evening and really help we can put you on the map but by early March and with concerns over her father's Health weighing her down Sophie's optimism has given way to genuine doubt I'm overwhelmed by what we're all being asked to do when everyone knows what kind of a situation we're in hoping that Richard Corrigan can provide much needed reassurance she phones him in London I'd be totally honest I've never done anything like this before so okay okay negotiate the fees very hard do not go into death on this which I I can't even I can't because I have nothing to put into in the first place so I'm a bit stuck between a rock and a hard place currency yeah I know I know that yeah good to talk to you thanks thanks for taking it bye unless Sophie and Josh can overcome this crisis of confidence the success of bantry's big night is in doubt we always thought that was a great idea but my vision of it is that someone had come in and pop it up for us and um obviously we have to pop it up ourselves and so that's the thing where we we don't know how we're going to do that so when Simon returns for bantry's first pop-up restaurant would it be a Triumph or would its temporary status be its undoing the gas is freezing it's freezing up yeah but this is the thing with pop-up kitchens everything can go wrong so um fingers crossed [Music] it's April and at Pantry house Sophie and Josh have turned a corner I was totally overwhelmed but we sat down and we just said well now we're going to prove a point so we'll get this one out yeah is that gonna go is that going to go through the door a couple have finally knuckled down to clear out the East Stables making it suitable to host Bantry houses first ever pop-up restaurant hello Sophie how are you nice to see you so much for this very welcome I'm delighted you're using it yeah well thank you to keep costs down Simon and guest chem Richard Corrigan encouraged Sophie to pull in favors from all around Bantry so that's all the Crockery and Cutlery and our fish just arrived and aware of the importance of Bantry house the community has responded selling valuable shellfish at cost price supplying free food and lending professional catering equipment Richard Corrigan and his team of five flown over from London and a busy prepping in the kitchen two months since his last visit Simon has returned to see if they've risen to the challenge tonight's a real test for Sophie and Josh I really hope they don't waste this opportunity it really is a fantastic one for them and to throw it all away would be a real travesty [Music] hello battery House pop-up restaurant how's about that actually looks like a restaurant that's exciting after a concerted marketing push this first event has sold out and how many people are coming seven so she sold out yeah I think I was in here in one of the link sold out flyers yeah at 100 euro ahead it's a hundred Euro all in and you sold out of 70 covers yeah and then we have four couples coming for dinner and staying the night and I guess 10 off if they booked room with dinner so excellent so you please delicious yeah a chef Simon good to see you happy smoked salmon excellent how's the kitchen fantastic yeah it works very well good the locals come in with the fish blue lobsters pound and a half maybe pounded three quarter blue lobsters beautiful local produce so are you going to be the wine waiter tonight and am I going to be the wine right here the first time in your life isn't it back in the kitchen [Music] delighted that Sophie has guests staying in the BNB and that they're being charged per room and not per person Simon wants to check on the state of the decorations I'm really pleased to see they've sorted out that plaster where it was falling away from the walls and they have pay and guests staying here it's important that this room looks the best that it can do [Music] for just four hours to go until the diners arrive Sophie has roped in her siblings and friends to ensure the night is a success foreign [Music] makes an appearance to check on progress are you proud of what they've achieved absolutely I think they did wonderful event it's a bit of a change isn't it it's a bit of a change and it was very stressful for them too a lot lots to do but they did well we're very very pleased very happy the abandoned East Stables have been transformed from a failed Museum into a professional restaurant and Pantry house is ready to open its doors to an expectant public thanks very much I'll just take you off my list and tell you you're on table four drawn by the prospect of fine dining in this historic setting the event has attracted locals and visitors from as far away as London starting the evening Sophie gets to show the guests some artifacts and furniture that make bantries so important and worth saving Sophie is really getting into the role of The Chateau Lane which is lovely to see it's feeling like a really good start behind the scenes in the temporary kitchen Richard Corrigan is putting the finishing touches to his banquet of locally sourced produce come on boys now I feel pressure I feel pressure 10 minutes sit down can we have spoons in the mayonnaise please dinner time everyone gentlemen if we want to go out through the library [Music] in the tradition of pop-up restaurants the guests are all seated together in an informal Arrangement around large tables beautiful but whilst the diners helped themselves to the starters in the kitchen there's a problem Richard and his team are struggling to poach the turbot for the main course the Gauss is freezing assignment to sit on the connection like a good like a good English boy abroad yeah taking one for the team thing with pop-up kitchens everything can go wrong and you've got about very quickly got 70 people out there who are waiting for their main course and I think they got it back going at the moment so um fingers crossed the dogs make doom and mend technique has worked the main courses go out on time [Music] the wine and conversation flowing what are the guests making of this first event in the revitalized East Stables if this is what a pop-up restaurant is and I think they are great let's have more of them great to see the house getting the support of this evening and it needs people to Rally round to save these houses [Music] should be very proud beautiful events love lovely support lovely yes that's great that's been the great balance of the work yeah absolutely [Music] eyes are burning here everyone's still having a wonderful time at dinner inside the food's been absolutely fantastic everyone's loved it for those who haven't been to boundary house before it's a wonderful introduction for those who have been here before it's welcoming them back in [Music] thank you [Music] as Simon prepares to take his lead he wants to find out from brigitta how she feels about this next chapter of Bantry House's history [Music] what would you like to see in five years time here what I want to see is that whoever runs it is happy with doing it and is fulfilling what their potential in it and do you think Sophie is that person Sophie well Sophie and Josh I think um are those people because they they wanted to do it but they have to be able to freely make decisions well as opposed to tip tiptoeing around I really want them to take that time to to find out which way they want to go and then then go for it and David the pop-up restaurant has been a great success Sophie is already in discussions with a local Chef to run future events and there are plans for more activities in the cleaned out east Stables including using it for wedding receptions and parties spantry House's future is looking a lot brighter well what a night what a nice it was fantastic but I hope you at least enjoyed it and enjoyed seeing all those people there and we did and we learned a lot about how to run something like this like neither of us would have had any experience yep um and I asked a lot of you to suddenly do it and I thought you stepped up to the mark thank you both of you good Josh I know that you're a figures man and you've been keeping an eye on the numbers for the event last night how did it shape up uh income was approximately seven thousand uh that's with BNB as well and expenses were roughly 6 000 for the evening so we made a small cash profit which is which is encouraging we hope that there'll be more value in the exposure well of course there's the marketing value which is really important for a one-off event to turn a small profit is very positive but run over four sittings on a monthly basis a pop-up restaurant has the potential to turn over two hundred thousand pounds the sum which could make a huge difference to Bantry house I thought it was wonderful how the locals gathered around you supported you helped you gave of their time at Bantry house thrives and is successful for you and for future Generations it will be good for the community as well well it's been very good to meet you and I wish you every success and I look forward to coming back here to the next event all right thank you thank you very much [Music] I know Josh and Sophie found running this event extremely hard work but to be honest the struggles only just begun it's great that Sophia started to take charge at Bantry and I believe that she's inherited some of that stealiness from her parents so that one day she may be able to take over completely I hope I've made them realize that they continue to work hard and run exciting inventive events throughout the whole year then there's a chance that their family can stay living in this beautiful house foreign [Music] thank you [Music] foreign foreign [Music]

Channel: Abode

Views: 806,586

Keywords: Abode, Australian heritage, Country House Rescue, Ireland, debt management, financial rescue, gardening tips, historic buildings, historic homes, historic preservation, home DIY projects, home restoration, interior design inspiration, property inheritance, property investment, property makeover, property preservation, property rescue, property upkeep, real estate renovation, restoration project

Id: 8OUXjVeo-Lk

Length: 46min 48sec (2808 seconds)

Published: Fri Oct 28 2022